Obsessive Thoughts

[jdawgzy]

Lately i've been having some more "obesessive thoughts", that had when i was younger, that always caused me to have an anxiety attack. You may find this thought really weird, but there was this children's toy that played this one song with a tone that would just make me obsess over it, because it was just so annoying to me. It was like a "Wheels on the bus" tune, that would just make me wanna go crazy. During my anxiety attack it i would "hear" it just playing over and over in my head. I just wanted to know if anyone could relate to this? Thanks.

[Robbed]

I can't relate to those specific thoughts. But repetative, obsessive thoughts in general are quite common with anxiety disorders. Anyway, the content of these thoughts is not as important as the fact that these thoughts tend to be of a distressing nature. And they are all dealt with in the same way. Specifically, allow these thought to be without trying to force them from your head. At the same time, try not to react to these thoughts with fear as best as you can (even if you can only do so a little bit at first). And continue on with whatever you are doing. By not overreacting to your thoughts and not allowing them to interfere with your life, they will go away with time.

[AngryScotsman]

hey jdawgzy ive had exactly what ur getting but then again ive had pretty much every symtom on that anxiety list and guess what nothing bad has happend to me just try to contine about ur day and over time it will pass

[Robbed]

One more thing. When I say that 'with time' it will pass, I mean that you need to be prepared to live with these disturbing thoughts for some time before they go away - MUCH more time than you feel like it should take. So be patient. Also, until you recover from your anxiety, you will remain susceptible to obsessive thoughts. After all, it is the increased fear response that makes certain thoughts SO distressing during an anxiety disorder. When they happen again, practice this same acceptance of them from the time they start. By doing this from the VERY beginning of an obsession rather than after the obsession becomes habitual, you will find that the obsession is MUCH less severe and MUCH shorter lasting. This also helps GREATLY when it comes to anxiety recovery in general, as reduced obsessions mean lower stress and less sensitization of the mind to anxiety.

[jdawgzy]

Thanks Robbed, i was letting those thoughts do their thing in my head today and it became much more peaceful. Trying to force them out, just makes them stick in your head with more glue attatched ;) It seems i just have a common symptom of OCD, which is quite related to anxiety, so i hear. I'm glad to know that it is diagnosed, rather then me feeling like some mental freak. Has anyone else had the fear of growing old and ending up in a "Psycho House"?. I tend to worry about that often. Sometimes i see myself getting better in ways, but i always seem to get something new to deal with.

[Robbed]

Thanks Robbed, i was letting those thoughts do their thing in my head today and it became much more peaceful. Trying to force them out, just makes them stick in your head with more glue attatched ;) It seems i just have a common symptom of OCD, which is quite related to anxiety, so i hear.

Trying to force the thoughts from your head gives them significance. It tells your mind that these thoughts are important because they relate to something harmful. It's pretty much the same thing as obsessing about something big that is looming, like a final exam. In this sense, I don't know that it could really be considered a separate disorder. It's more just a produc of your anxiety state. After all, this sort of thing was probably not problematic before you had anxiety. And it will cease to be the prolem that it is when you recover.


I'm glad to know that it is diagnosed, rather then me feeling like some mental freak. Has anyone else had the fear of growing old and ending up in a "Psycho House"?. I tend to worry about that often.

Fearing the worst possible outcome to anxiety is VERY common with anxity disorder. Unfortuately, doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists often fuel this by making anxiety out to be a lifelong problem. But it doesn't have to be.


Sometimes i see myself getting better in ways, but i always seem to get something new to deal with.

That's a challenge when it comes to recovery. Recovery is almost NEVER a steady improvement with time. There are almost ALWAYS ups and downs. And recovering means being able to see yourself through the tough times. But as you go through these cycles, you will find that the 'new' things to deal with are really not so new. Rather, they arejust variations of what you have already been through. For instance, new obsessive thoughts may come about. But they are still just obsessive thoghts. And they are dealt with exactly the same way as before.